NFL analyst Michael Lombardi is reuniting with Bill Simmons and this time, the former NFL executive won’t just be a podcast guest. He’s making a full-time commitment to The Ringer.

As reported by SportsBusiness Daily’s John Ourand, Lombardi has signed an exclusive deal with the site that will include recording podcasts, video essays and studio show analysis for Simmons’ venture. He had most recently been an analyst for FS1, appearing on shows like Speak For Yourself and Undisputed , along with podcasts like Make Me Smarter, to provide NFL analysis and commentary. Leaving right before the Super Bowl is curious timing, but perhaps that explains why FS1 just hired Greg Jennings as an analyst.

Lombardi was a frequent guest on Simmons’ The B.S. Report podcast from 2008 to 2013 until taking a job with the Cleveland Browns as general manager and vice president of player personnel. Following his dismissal in Cleveland, Lombardi worked with the New England Patriots as an assistant to the coaching staff until leaving before the 2016 season. He went back into media with FS1 and has been appearing weekly on The Bill Simmons Podcast during this past NFL season.

Thanks to everyone for asking about where I have been…finally made it to Zihuatanejo to see my old friend…..@ringer

Lombardi has been involved in pro football in one fashion or another since 1984, when he was a scout for the San Francisco 49ers under Bill Walsh. During the past 30-plus years, he’s worked in personnel for a variety of NFL teams including a previous stint with the Browns, along with the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders. His first stay with the Browns and his run in Oakland each lasted 10 years.

After leaving Oakland, Lombardi joined the sports media, writing columns for Sports Illustrated before starting up his own site, the National Football Post. Following a three-year run as editor-in-chief, he then moved full-time to NFL Network (where he was already providing analysis) and was a columnist for NFL.com. In 2013, he went back into a NFL front office with the Browns.

“This was a natural evolution for him and for us,” Simmons told Ourand. “With talented people like Kevin Clark, Robert Mays, Danny Kelly and now Mike all leading the way, we know our multi-media NFL coverage will be as good as anything out there.”

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is an editor for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He has covered baseball for Yahoo! Sports, MLive.com, Bleacher Report and SB Nation, and provides analysis for several sports talk radio shows each week. He currently lives in Asheville, NC.